Vetting flawed, says security chief

The head of the National Security Agency admitted yesterday that its vetting procedures were flawed, but said that surveillance of phones and the internet had helped to thwart dozens of terrorist attacks.

General Keith Alexander told the Senate Appropriations Committee that he had grave concerns about the fact that Edward Snowden had been granted security clearance to access critical government documents.

Eight Republican and Democrat senators are introducing a Bill to force the Government to reveal how it is interpreting the laws on surveillance.

Michael Morell, the deputy director of the CIA, said he would retire from the agency in August. Mr Morell was passed over for the top CIA spot by President Obama in favour of his counter-terrorism adviser, John Brennan.